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ASIA LOCAL PAGES ASIA AREA LEADER MESSAGE Temple Work—Work of Salvation By Chung Hei Patrick Wong Hong Kong China Temple President he third article of faith states, ‘Grandma, why are you so un- T“We believe that through the happy?’ She said to me, ‘Chung Atonement of Christ, all mankind Chiu has promised to take care may be saved, by obedience to of me but he has not.’ I then the laws and ordinances of the said to her, ‘Grandma, if Chung Chung Hei Gospel.” Chiu does not take care of you, Patrick Wong, When we were living in then Patrick and I will take care Hong Kong Sydney (from 1987 to 1991), my of you.’ I then woke up.” I was Temple father, who was in Hong Kong, very surprised to hear about her president passed away in April of 1988, and dream but did not understand it Finally in 1996, having worked my mother passed away one year at the time. with three other Church members later. At the end of my mother’s A few weeks later, my wife had who have the same last name of funeral, my sister, Lai Yee, my another dream. She said, “I saw Wong, we were able to complete brother, Chung Chiu, and I dis- your father, he said to me in a our family history up to 2200 B.C., cussed performing the temple hurry, ‘Go and tell Chung Hei that up to the first ancestor who was ordinances of endowment and I have to get married immediately. knighted by the emperor and was sealing for our parents, who had Tell him, tell him.’” After my wife granted the kingdom of Wong. been baptized in 1970 but had told me about this dream, I began We then submitted all their names not had the opportunity to go to to realize something . I immedi- to the Hong Kong China Temple. the temple. Although it would be ately called my brother and asked All these experiences made easier for me to perform the or- if he had done the endowment me realize the urgency and im- dinances in the Sydney Australia and sealing for our parents. He portance of carrying out the plan Temple, my brother preferred to told me that he had not been able of salvation for our ancestors, do it in Chinese for our parents to go to the temple in Taiwan be- how much our ancestors rely on and volunteered that he and his cause his wife had been sick for us to help them, and how much wife would do their work in the quite some time. After our discus- we need them as well, to turn Taipei Taiwan Temple, which, sion over the phone, I decided to our hearts to the temple. being an hour flight from Hong do the temple work for my par- The Church of Jesus Christ of Kong, was the closest temple at ents with my wife in the Sydney Latter- day Saints affirms that the the time. Australia Temple. plan of salvation is not bound by A few months after I returned Within two weeks, my wife the grave, but that the gospel is to Sydney, my wife woke me up and I performed all the temple deathless and everlasting, reach- one night and said to me, “I have ordinances including sealing for ing back into the ages that have just had a dream. I saw your my parents, my grandparents, gone and forward into the eter- mother who was very unhappy, great- grandparents, and my de- nities of the future.1 The plan of sitting alone. I then asked her, ceased brother and sister. salvation is not for the living only March 2015 A1 but also for the dead who did I understand that we will never the world and the Fall of man, not have a chance to receive it be too old or too weak to res- the central role of Jesus Christ in this life. The restoration of the cue our ancestors by receiving as the Redeemer of all God’s building of temples has provided temple blessings on their behalf. children, and the blessings they this opportunity to the dead. can receive in the next life. Temple, House of the Lord • “The celestial room symbol- Never Too Old or Too Weak A temple is literally a house izes the exalted and peaceful to Serve of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in state that all may achieve My wife and I served in the which sacred ceremonies and through living the gospel of Brisbane Australia Temple as ordinances of the gospel are Jesus Christ. This room repre- temple ordinance workers for performed by and for the living sents the contentment, inner three years before we were and also in behalf of the dead. A harmony, and peace available called to serve in the Hong Kong place where the Lord may come, to eternal families in the pres- China Temple. At that temple I it is the most holy of any place ence of Heavenly Father and witnessed the love and care of of worship on the earth. Only His Son, Jesus Christ. members toward their ancestors. the home can compare with the • “In a sealing room, a bride John Jeffreys, an elderly temple in sacredness.3 In the and bridegroom are married member, always spent his en- temple, because of the nature not only for this life but also tire Wednesday mornings in the of its sacredness, we can feel for eternity.”4 Brisbane temple by attending en- the Spirit abundantly there. dowment sessions and sealings. As we go through different During my three years of One morning I went down to the rooms in the temple to perform service in the Brisbane Australia car park to pick him up with the different ordinances, we may Temple, I understood more wheelchair. As usual, once he understand the purpose of the about the Atonement of Jesus entered the changing room, he temple: Christ and the purpose of our liked to walk without the wheel- lives than any other time in my chair. So I held his arm to walk • “The temple’s baptismal font life. Having served as the pres- with him slowly. Suddenly, look- rests on the backs of twelve ident of the Hong Kong China ing at me, John started singing oxen (see 2 Chronicles 4:2–4), Temple for one year, I confirmed the chorus of the hymn, “I Am a symbolically representing that the house of the Lord is Child of God”—“Lead me, guide the twelve tribes of Israel. watched over and guided by me, walk beside me, Help me Following the Savior’s ex- the Spirit of God. ◼ find the way.”2 His humor made ample of selfless service, we me laugh. I was sure his service can perform baptisms for our NOTES 1. See James E. Talmage, The House of in the temple, given with such a ancestors who died without the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries positive attitude despite his own receiving this ordinance. Ancient and Modern, (2013), 61. 2. “I Am a Child of God,” Hymns, physical limitations, was appreci- • “In ordinance rooms an over- no. 301. ated by many souls on the other view is given of God’s plan for 3. See Bible Dictionary, “Temple.” 4. Temples of The Church of Jesus side of the veil. His children. Latter- day Saints Christ of Latter- day Saints (booklet From the example of Brother learn of their premortal and 2010), 61–66; “Things Pertaining to This House,” Ensign or Liahona, Jeffreys and many other patrons, mortal lives, the creation of Oct. 2010, 61–66. A2 Liahona LOCAL NEWS Now Is the Accepted Time by Elder Ezra Anderson India Bangalore Mission he Raman family was prepared to receive the Tgospel long before I ever met them. Many mis- sionaries speak of “golden investigators,” but it was not until I met the Raman family that I came to know what that phrase really means. In my eyes, this family is golden from head to toe. When I first came to Bangalore, Elder Pilli and I regularly visited Sister Vijaya. This sister was baptized just a few weeks prior to my arrival and was anxious to progress further in the gospel. One evening she told us about her friend, Sister Manjula. Her friend was not satisfied with her cur- rent church and was looking for a change. Sister Vijaya, knowing the joy that comes from the re- stored gospel, was quick to refer her to us. This is already knew our message was true. We asked her Elder Anderson a wonderful example of the way the Lord wants us how she knew that. She told us that on Sunday and Elder Pilli as members to participate in the work of salvation. morning, before she had ever come to church, with the Raman We love our friends so much that we cannot help she prayed to know if this is what God wanted family but share the gospel with them. her to do. She then opened the Bible to find her Sister Vijaya accompanied us on our first visit answer. The very first scripture she opened to to Sister Manjula’s home. We taught her family was 2 Corinthians 6:2, “I have heard thee in a the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and time accepted, and in the day of salvation have extended a baptism invitation to Sister Manjula, I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted her son, Dinakaran, and her daughter, Vidya time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” I could Sree.